John Fuller, who in February left Aliso Viejo-based Johnny Rockets Group Inc. “to pursue other interests,” was named president and chief executive of the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Los Angeles.
Johnny Rockets has about 340 restaurants in 28 countries and $343 million in system-wide sales.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has about 1,000 locations in 30 countries, with about $485 million in system-wide sales in 2014, according to Technomic Inc. in Chicago.
About two-thirds of Coffee Bean locations are franchised, according to its website.
The chain entered Japan with its first stores in May, and said in August it would put 700 stores in China.
About half of its locations are in other parts of Asia, where two of the three private equity firms that invested in Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in September 2013 are based, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.
Fuller cited a “new era of growth and innovation” at Coffee Bean as a reason for taking the slot.
He was at Johnny Rockets for seven years: five as president and chief executive, and two as chief financial officer.
Since early last year the Aliso Viejo burger chain—owned by Sun Capital Partners in Boca Raton, Fla.—has hired or promoted four new C-level executives to oversee operations, development, marketing and finance.
